


I Know Where Love Lives

by jedi_witch



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cute Kids, F/M, Fluff, Happy, One Shot, Playing fast and loose, Queen of Hapes - Freeform, Song was inspiration, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, clones need a hug, its fiction so I can do it, order 66 never happened, pulling in the EU, rexsoka, you will get cavities reading this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:47:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25500088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jedi_witch/pseuds/jedi_witch
Summary: The Queen Mother of Hapes has requested the presence of a clone accompany the Republic envoy because she is curious about them. The best man for the job is Rex of course, when presented with an option we find out just what he feels.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49
Collections: Earworms 2020





	I Know Where Love Lives

**Author's Note:**

> This is a One Shot mostly because I needed something fluffy and happy today. I had added some music from my younger days to my Amazon Music app and came across a song that got stuck in my head, it's an older country song (like if I said who it was I would be dating myself severely). It rattled around all day and so after work this afternoon I decided to get it out. I'm going to put the translations in the notes here and then in the notes at the bottom as well. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Ner karta= my heart  
> Beh = Shilli for cloud  
> “Karta= mando’a for heart  
> Cyar’ika = darling, sweetheart  
> Cyare= beloved  
> Cove is a combination of Cody and Fives

To say he was pleased about this mission was an understatement, sure he got to accompany Anakin like he did during the war but this time as free man and sort of a diplomat. This mission however was fluff but not one he would enjoy, Rex decided as he sighed and scrubbed his face. Taking a moment for himself while the ship was in hyperspace. 

Anakin added him to the mission at the last minute, pulling him away from his warm house and family. The Queen of Hapes was wanting to meet a clone, never having met one since the war never reached that cluster of planets as they had gone forgotten long before the war between the Separatists and Republic had broken out. The thought of being paraded around as a show piece only mildly bothered him, the queen wanted to see him and what his brothers looked like before agreeing to join the Republic.

“Don’t think too hard about it Rex, it will be over and done with and we will back on Naboo before you know it.” Anakin said from the pilot’s seat.

“I know, I just don’t like leaving my family alone for long.” Rex replied.

“We will be gone two rotations tops. You will be back with you wife and children and I will be back with mine before they get a chance to miss us.”

“Right, two rotations.” Rex grunted. Truth is he was only doing this as a favor to Padme and Anakin. The request from Hapes had come up quickly and Padme couldn’t accompany Anakin due to her being at home having just had the couples third child. Another girl the couple had named Shmi Jobal after their mothers.

“We arrive in an hour. I’m going to go change and then you should. We will want to look the best we can.” Anakin said, sliding from his seat.

“You do that, I’m going to comm ‘Soka and check on her.” Rex replied turning to the holocomm display.

“Tell Snips hi for me.” Anakin said as he strode from the room.

Keying in the comm code Rex waited for Ahsoka to initiate her end of the connection. Checking his chronometer wanting to make sure he wouldn’t interrupt anything important like bath time or bedtime he saw it was late afternoon on Naboo.

The blue holoprojection of Ahsoka appeared, “Rex” she said with a smile on her face.

“Hello _Cyar’ika_. Are you okay?” Rex asked, knowing worry wrinkled his features.

“Yes my dear, we are all okay. “

“Okay, was just checking, Anakin says this won’t take more than two rotations. Hopefully I will be home soon.”

“Sounds good, we’ll be waiting.” Ahsoka said, eyes not looking towards Rex but something on the floor, Rex was just about to ask if she needed to go when a chubby infant came crawling into view. Laughing, Rex watched as Ahsoka bent over to scoop the child up.

“Wave hello to your _Buir_ Beh’Karta.” She said holding their daughter up and moving her arm back and forth in the motion of a wave.

“Hello Beh, where is Cove?” Rex said returning the small wave.

“He’s playing in his outside,” she replied as she moved Beh to her hip and grasped the holocamera with her other and moved through their home to the back yard, walking through the door she pointed it towards their boy, “Cove, say hello to your _Buir_.”

The camera focused on a boy, his blue hair bouncing as he chased a ball. “Hi _Buir!_ When will you be home?” The young boy asked, missing his father even though he had just left that morning.

“Soon son, soon. Be good for your Mama okay?”

“Yes _Buir_.” And with that the boy was back to playing with his ball. The twinkling laugh of his wife floated over the audio as she turned the camera back to focus on her and Beh’Karta.

“Be safe my _cyare_. Come home to me, us, soon.” She said looking at him, his heart full of a combination of missing them and loving his family.

“Of course. I love you, I’ll let you know when we are on the way back.”

“Sounds good, see you soon.” With that Ahsoka winked, blew a kiss and killed the connection.

Rex sat back and sighed, he hoped that Anakin was right about this and it was a quick trip. Turning back to the controls Rex awaited the other man to return to the cockpit so he could go change.

***

The dinner that night had gone well. Anakin had been his usual charming self and while Rex socialized, he didn’t overly share. The former General and Captain were a unique pair around there. Asked to regale the other guests with war stories they had done so, Rex left the more difficult ones alone though.

Questions had fluttered that evening of how the clones had prevented their chips from activating, how they were adjusting to life after the war, were they building lives for themselves, how they finally felt about being free and having their aging slowed. Too many questions for Rex to answer all thoroughly so he responded with simple answers.

The following day had been more of the same. The Queen of Hapes, or the Queen Mother had many questions for Rex and Rex alone. Separating him from Anakin for most of the day and then again later that night during the gala held in honor of the Queen Mother and Hapes’ decision to join the Republic. Anakin had profusely thanked them.

The Queen’s fascination with Rex though had caused her to request his presence on the balcony outside of the grand ballroom overlooking the palaces water gardens. Rex strode to the doors and out into the night air, setting his shoulders he walked over to where the Queen was setting. Bowing he said “you wished to see me your majesty?”

“Please sit, yes I want to speak with you. I have a proposition for you.” The Queen said, waving to the empty space beside her.

“Yes your majesty.” Rex quickly sat down, something was telling him this was going to be a delicate conversation.

The Queen Mother wasted no time, preferring to get straight to the point. “You are a handsome man Rex. I am told you are different than your brothers, how?”

“Mostly my blonde hair while most of my brothers have black hair, that I rose through the ranks rather quickly, and that I was awarded the _jaig eyes_ as a mark of my bravery in managing to allow enough time for my General to escape an attack and survived.”

“Such a noble man. Truly an example of what a soldier should be. Tell me Rex, how would you feel about remaining here, with me?”

“I am not sure I follow your majesty. What exactly are you proposing?” Rex wanted to know, worry creasing his brow, his gut feeling getting stronger that it was about to become a difficult situation.

“Stay with me, you seem to like it here. I like you. I think you will be a delight in my harem, possibly even taking over position of Head Consort one day.”

Rex sat there dumbstruck for a moment. The Queen was asking him to stay here and be part of her harem. The feeling in his stomach had been right and this was definitely a delicate situation. Scrubbing his face with his hands he was hoping to buy some time, or maybe that Anakin would come looking for him. Of course his general turned friend was no where to be found. _Kriff_.

Taking in a steadying breath, Rex stood to and moved slightly further away from the Queen. Distance was good. Distance was safety.

Gazing out at the water gardens and listening to the sounds he shut his eyes and all he could see was Ahsoka, her eyes would be shining with laughter at the situation he was in. Giving himself a mental eyeroll, he responded. “I appreciate the offer, and I am flattered but I cannot stay here.” Offering her that answer but knowing he would not get out that easily.

“You absolutely can. What is keeping you from saying yes?”

“Majesty I cannot. I have a life, a home elsewhere. I have people waiting for me to return.” Rex supplied, knowing that while Anakin’s relationship was known throughout the galaxy, his and Ahsoka's was not.

“Surely your brothers will not miss you, or perhaps I can take a few of them as my consorts as well. Especially if they are all fine specimens of Kaminoian engineering.” The Queen purred, “I dare say you like this planet and might even come to love it in a time. Possibly even to love me.”

Feeling his heart stutter at the possibility of loving anyone other than Ahsoka, of not cuddling Cove or Beh'Karta anymore. It was not a pleasant feeling, it felt worse than losing his _vode._ “Majesty were I a man free of entanglements possibly in time I would learn to love you. But I know where love lives for me and it is not here.” Rex replied. “Might I suggest you asking one of my many remaining brothers.”

The Queen was silent for a moment, puzzling over Rex's words. The longer she was silent the more he hoped he hadn’t offended her in some way and jeopardized the Queen’s agreement to join the Republic.

After the silence stretched on further the Queen finally asked, “and where does _Love_ live, Rex?”

“On Naboo, your majesty, in a small home in the foothills of the mountains. It lives in a home that has toys scattered on the floor and among the back yard, where it can be loud and filled with laughter. Where I can sleep at night in peace surrounded by love and safety. It lives in the eyes of the most beautiful creatures the Force and galaxy ever gave me.

“Love lives with a woman who was willing to be by my side no matter that I wear the face of a million other men, or the fact that at one time I would have aged twice as fast as she did and would have left her side much sooner than either of us were ready.” Rex said, thinking of his _cyar'ika._ He found he was longing for home, was longing to be there to tuck his babies into bed and cuddle his wife.

“I see now.” The Queen said with an amused voice. “So, tell me, what does love look like to you Rex?”

Wondering about the odd question, Rex decided that the best thing to do would be to answer honestly. “Love looks like blue eyes that match the skies, blue and white stripped montrals and lekku, gorgeous sienna skin and a smile held just for me. Love looks like the blue hair and brown eyes of my son.

“Love also looks like the yellow and white stripped montrals and lekku and brown eyes of my daughter. It looks like a family cuddled up together in front of a fire, playing games and growing together. It also looks like uncle’s showing up without any notice. It’s my general turned friend showing up with his children and an afternoon of laughter and family. It’s talking about adding another child that five years ago neither myself nor my love would have thought possible.”

Rex finished knowing that he might be called a liar, but he wasn’t and couldn’t be. Every word that had passed his lips was the truth. After all, clones were terrible liars. 

The Queen sat in silence for a long while considering and weighing everything that Rex had said. The sat and stood in respective silence for so long that Anakin came to find them. Stopping just outside the doors when he found them.

“This love of yours sounds extraordinary. I won’t press for you to stay but I will instead say that ever should the need arise the offer will stand. You could even bring your children and they would be raised in the lap of luxury and not want for anything." Noticing the presence of the onlooker and wondering how much he heard she decided to just reassure them that her system would be following through with the commitment.

“Ah, Skywalker. While your colleague had turned down my offer to become my consort, I will not withdraw my promise to join the Republic. As it seems our business is concluded I will not keep you here and away from your love any longer. Go with my blessings.” The Queen Mother said and with that walked off the balcony and back into the gala.

Rex felt his shoulders sag with relief. He started to walk towards Anakin, more than ready to leave this world. It was beautiful both scenery and people. But nothing compared to what was waiting his return on Naboo.

Anakin clapped Rex on the back. “So you going to tell me what that was all about?” He asked as they headed for the landing dock where their ship was parked. 

“I’ll tell you when we get back on the way. I’m more than ready to go home.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.” Anakin responded as they walked. "I would hate to have to hunt you down if you hurt Snips in any way."

"That is the furthest thing from my mind. Now lets go! We have people waiting." Rex said, he would never take the Queen Mother up on her offer no matter what happened. Ahsoka was his one and only, forever.

***

“ _Buir!”_ the cry came from the front walkway and then there was a pint-sized human missile running and launching themselves towards him. Rex caught the boy and pulled him into his chest, relishing in the feeling of the boys arms wrapping around his neck.

Pressing a kiss to Cove's hair Rex smiled. “Hello my son, I missed you.” Finishing walking up to his front door where Ahsoka stood with Beh’Karta. Stepping up on the porch with Cove still wrapped around his neck, he walked to his wife and daughter.

Looking at Ahsoka, Rex leaned down to kiss his wife while his daughter happily babbled. “Welcome home Rex. Couldn’t be tempted to stay in the lap of luxury?” Ahsoka said, teasing him.

“No, no amount of fortune or power could keep me away when I know where love lives.” Rex assured his wife, ushering his family into the house.

“Oh, and please tell me where love lives.” Ahsoka said with a smirk on her lips, leaning into her husband and wrapping her free arm around his waist

“Right here, _ner karta_ , with you, Cove and Beh’Karta.” He said wrapping his own arm around her and pulling her tight resting his head in the valley of her montrals. “Right here.” He whispered softly.

**Author's Note:**

> Ner karta= my heart  
> Beh = Shilli for cloud  
> “Karta= mando’a for heart  
> Cyar’ika = darling, sweetheart  
> Cyare= beloved  
> Cove is a combination of Cody and Fives
> 
> Thanks for reading! You can find me on Tumblr as: jedi-mando Hopefully I will have more stories up soon.


End file.
